Pretend
by nelliskinkyinbed
Summary: Eric feels left out from the rest of the team when ever they go to the shooting range, especially when it involves Nell. He tries to play it off like it's no big deal but she can see straight through him. Plus, Nell is never one to let a friend fall behind. She may need him in the future.
1. Chapter 1

Nell was walking back to ops, laughing and talking with Kensi and Deeks. Eric hadn't heard her laugh like this before. It was a genuine laugh he had never heard from her before, and it stopped just as she walked into ops.

She crossed past Eric whose gaze followed her to the row of computers then back beside him. She quickly greeted him before returning to work and bringing up the information from yesterdays case. He found it interesting how she could turn from laughing with friends to more formal and doing work.

"So what was that all about?" he asked as he leaned against the island.

"Oh nothing, we were just in the firing range this morning and Deeks quoted a movie and... never mind, you had to be there." She grinned again as she went over in her mind how Deeks had nonchalantly quoted the Notebook and her and Kensi caught him out.

"Oh okay" he bit his cheek looking down; he didn't like being left out of some of the team just because he couldn't fire a weapon.

Nell glanced back at him, knowing something was off about him. "You okay?"

"Everything fine" he answered back.

"You sure?" she narrowed her eyes, sceptical.

As she talked her eyelids batted and he got lost again. _Damn they always get me. _He had been a sucker for her hazel beauties since day one. He wasn't sure if she knew how powerful her gaze was on him, but it worked every time. "I just felt a little left out, it's nothing much."

"Well, why don't you come down with us?"

"If you don't remember, I can't shoot a gun, I'm not trained like everyone else" he sighed.

Nell stood back next to him, shoulder to shoulder, like always forgetting each other's personal space "I can teach you."

He looked back over but had to dodge her gaze again "It's not as simple as that, the thought of actually killing someone scares me" he swallowed.

"It's not like I'm taking you out to actually shoot someone, the paper cut-outs will work just as good" she smirked. "Plus, what if one time we're caught in the middle of a gun fight when we go on a little field trip again, and I get hurt, would you shoot then?"

"Of course" he answered a little too quickly. "I'd shoot the guy point blank if I could, for hurting you." He looked back at her and this time he was caught in her smile.

"Well, I'd like to know I'll be safe with you too. Let me teach you, if you still don't like it you can back out."

She had another hold on him again and he nodded "But... for something else, if I get past this, you have to let me teach you to surf."

She was about to argue back but it was fair trade. "Okay, fine, but you can't back out half way through the lesson or it doesn't count." She held her hand out.

Eric shook her hand "You got yourself a deal."

* * *

It was around nine at night and everyone had gone home. Except for the two techs. Nell was waiting for Eric down the bottom of the stair well. "Come on Eric we don't have all night" she called.

"I'm here" he said as he stopped next to her.

"Well, regulation says you have to wear proper shoes, so here" she handed over some closed toed shoes.

His nose scrunched up but he took them off her "Fine, but I get to chose what you wear to the beach."

"That's totally not the same thing" she protested.

Eric shrugged "_T__om_atoes, _T__am_atoes."

Once Eric had gotten on the shoes despite his fruitless arguing Nell explained to him the basics of holding the gun. But as soon as she stood back to watched him shoot the paper figure he froze started to shake.

"I can't do it" his arms fell "I know I brag about killing entire platoons in video games, but this is actual power."

"Yes you can, Beale. Now, shoulders back, arms at the right height" she placed her hands on his forearm gently and shifted it up a bit. She was so close now that he could smell her. She smelt like cherries and apples and it made his outstretched arms feel like jelly. "Now shoot" she said softly as she stepped back.

He nodded and moved his finger on the trigger. He then started thinking of real blood and real people. His hands started shaking again and his eyes fell. "I'm sorry, I can't do this. The bet is off you don't have to come surfing." He placed the gun down and rubbed his eyes.

She stepped forward more nervously now. "One more time, I promise, we'll try something different" she begged. "And if it doesn't work we go home" she looked back at him.

Eric was caught up in her eyes again; he could see that she actually believed in him, that she thought he was capable of doing this.

"Please" she said in a faint voice. Staring up had him, the light hit her eyes at just the right angle to make them seem bigger.

He nodded "Okay, once more" he smiled back and this caused her to give one too.

She turned around so they were arm to arm again. "Now, see the paper guy, pretend he's real-"

"-Kinda' what I've been doing."

She rolled her eyes "Pretend he's real and that he's got me. He's taken me hostage; he's got a gun to my head, and you, only you have a clear shot." Her voice was gentle and slow as she spoke "Just breathe and shoot. I know you can do this" She stepped back and watched her partner."

One shot.

Two shots.

Three shots.

They both stood there in silence for a few moments. Then Eric turned around with his jaw hanging open. "I did it" he breathed out.

She nodded with a tiny smile that soon turned into a grin "You did it."

"I shot a real gun" he beamed at her and placed it back down.

"You did it!" she ran forward and her arm went around his neck and they shared a tight hug.

His arms were around her back "All thanks to the best partner ever."

She leaned back to face him "I wouldn't say that, you held the gun" she smiled back at him and her gaze was caught in his green orbs. "I just... said a few... words."

"If you hadn't pushed me I wouldn't have even tried" he briefly glanced downwards to her lips then back into her eyes "You believed that I could do it" he breathed out and he saw her lips quiver slightly. He went to move forward but he was interrupted.

"Good work Mister Beale, impressive gun skills. You may want to try for a service weapon." Hetty interjected as she walked in.

Nell jumped and pushed back on Eric's chest and stood a few meters away, brushing her dress. "Hetty, I didn't know you were still here, I thought everyone had gone."

"Miss Jones, I have to make sure my team leaves safely, or in Mr Callen's case - leaves at all."

"Well, we were just leaving, so goodnight Hetty" Nell told her awkwardly. "Eric, don't forget your shoes.

Eric face was flushed red and he followed what he was told "Okay, goodnight Hetty, see you on Monday." He grabbed his shoes and followed Nell out of the Mission.

When he got outside she was catching her breath and leaning against the building. "That was..." he hoped she could finish his sentence."

"Uhh, so you'll call me when you want to go to the beach?" she dodged the questions and looked to him.

He was a little let down "Yeah, I'll call you. Have a good night partner" he smiled "Thank you."

She gave a shy smile "You're welcome, Eric, goodnight." She walked over to her mini cooper and got in. She gave a small wave before driving away.

_Dammit _He kicked some dirt and walked back over to his own car.

* * *

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know this is way shorter but I had to put out this bit before anything else.**

* * *

Surfing would have to be put on hold today. There was a case, it involved human trafficking. A marine had discovered that an electrical supply store was just a front for the actual business. He then later turned up dead.

After Kensi, Deeks, Sam and Callen had taken in the workers saying they were arrested under suspicion of using stolen parts - so not to spook them, Nell and Eric went in to check all computers for any information.

"I'm going to tap into the phone lines in the back" she told him as she leaned over and picked up the equipment. "Did you hear me this time?"

He nodded as he looked up from the table "Got it, standing guard."

"You sure you'll be safe without me, no hiding under the desk and calling Hetty this time?" she teased.

"Just go" he pointed toward the room and shook his head, smiling.

"Fine" she pouted and walked into the other room. "Just so you're sure I have my service weapon."

"I feel safe now" he retorted sarcastically "Just remember, the next day we have off you're learning how to surf, and I already had the perfect outfit for you."

"Oh really, it better not be an itsy, bitsy, teenie weenie, yellow polka dot bikini" she said as she sung the lyrics.

"Well, it doesn't have yellow polka dots" he joked. He waited for her to counter back "Nell, I was only joking; you know I wouldn't do that." He waited again but no answer "Fine, you can pick it out whatever" he called out to the silence.

There was a crash from the back room and he jumped up "Nell?" This time instead of hiding under the desk he got up and made his way towards the noise of the crash. "Nell, if this is joke - it's not funny.

As he turned the corner she wasn't the only one there. A guy had an arm around her throat and her own service weapon to her head. Her eyes were wide and she was trying to struggle free.

A shot was fired straight past him and he jumped back. He looked back in panic, his chest felt tight and he was stuck in place. "Let her go!" he yelled and held his hands up showing he didn't have a gun. Nell's eyes met his and she was trying to say his name.

"What are you doing here?!" the man demanded.

"Please let her go, she doesn't know anything she hasn't got any information yet, I'm the one who got into the computer."

Another shot was fired, this time it grazed his arm. He looked down and his eyes went wide.

"Eric!" a strangled scream called.

Nell was being dragged out of the room. He moved forward to catch up with them but two more shots were fired. One of them hit close behind him the next hit his shoulder, going straight through, but for some reason his brain didn't register the pain. He looked at the wound for just a second and when his head snapped up again she was gone.

He followed out the back door where a black van was speeding away. His hand went straight to his pocket and pulled out his phone and speed dailed OSP.

"Hetty, Nell's been taken!"

* * *

**Please review**


	3. Chapter 3

"How did they even get her? You should have been with her!" Callen yelled as he walked into ops where Eric sat furiously typing on the computer. "These are human traffickers, Eric; do you know what they'll do to her?"

Eric launched himself up right in front of the agent face "Don't you think I know that! And I was with her, I got shot twice in the arm and they got away, I don't have my own gun! All I could do was watch her get taken, you can't lecture me about what I should have been doing when _you _didn't see that look in her eye when she realised her partner couldn't do anything." His voice went soft toward the end and he stepped back.

Kensi went straight towards his arm and pulled his sleeve up. His arm had been self bandaged with a shaky hand. "You didn't get it checked did you?"

"I had to start a Kaleidoscope search for the van; I got the first few numbers. I just need to stay here-" he went to turn back to the computer.

"No, you're coming with me; you can still control it using the tablet. If this gets infected, worst case scenario is you lose your arm, who's going to do searches then? Come with me." She began pushing him out of ops.

* * *

"It's my fault she got taken" he admitted as Kensi took off the bandages.

"Eric, this is no one's fault" she scolded.

"If I had been in the back room with her, not joking around in the front-"

"You would both be gone and we wouldn't know until you didn't show up in ops later tonight. We can't go accusing people at the moment. Nell is the priority now, we find her." She looked over the wounds "Those are going to need a couple stitches..."

Eric nodded and went back to his tablet, he wasn't really concerned with his arm.

"I'll go get Pauline, she went undercover as a nurse once, maybe she knows how to stitch a wound. Stay here" Kensi instructed but she didn't step away. Eric had a look on his face that was crossed between fustration at himself, fear for Nell and a stronger emotion that the agent had never seen on the most sensitive member of the team before. "We'll get her back."

* * *

"If I had just been trained for my service weapon, she would be right beside me, she wouldn't be alone, somewhere, hopefully still in LA." His fingers traced along the trigger before he shot at the cut out again.

"You should really try for your service weapon Mr Beale." Hetty commented.

"Yeah, not at the moment, kinda' doing something" his reply was slightly snarky and he he quickly apologized. "There has to be a way to get Nell back but my mind is blank, Kaleidoscope isn't getting anything.

"And why do you think shooting a gun at a target will work for you?" she could hear the pain in the young techs voice. He had obvious affection towards the analyst. The two weren't meant to be in as much danger as the agents, Eric wasn't coping well.

"It seems to work for everyone else, why not me?"

"Because you are not an agent, I know you're not use to be high pressured situations like everyone else."

Eric breathed out "And last time I was in here... I was with Nell and..." he put the gun down.

Hetty nodded "Hm, well be that as it may, we need your head in the game.

"I'm open for ideas here" he turned around.

"Have you looked over the phone records? Maybe, wherever Miss Jones is called the shop or the shop called them."

His eyes went wide "Nell was working on the phones I forgot to check!" he jumped up. "If a series of burner phones were called by the shop or they called the shop and were all in one area we could locate Nell, and the other girls." He ran off up stairs with his tablet.

* * *

"What do have Eric?" Sam asked.

"Well, Nell was working on the phones when she was taken so I didn't think to check it, but Hetty gave me the idea. Out of the ten burner phones I found that made and received calls, four of them are still on and three are all in the same building."

"So you think Nell is in that building, how can we be sure?" Deeks questioned.

"That's what I thought. So I double checked. Just around the time Nell was taken a phone was used in area, it also has the same cell phone number as one of the three phones."

"Addresses are on our phones?" Kensi asked.

"Yes, but there's more, I did more research and using the information we have in the database from failed undercovers and LAPD informants we know that they do shipments at the start of every month" his voice trailed off.

"Today's the first, if they ship the girls tonight and they have Nell..." Deeks began to put everything together.

"We need to get there now, we'll need SWAT ready" Callen stepped up.

"On it" Sam agreed and pulled out his phone.

"Addresses are your phones now, but I'm coming with you, I need to see Nell" he confessed.

Kensi was about to deny it but Callen stepped in "We may need him if they're already on the move."

Eric grabbed his bag and went off with Kensi and Deeks.

* * *

**Review please?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Longer chapter, yay.**

* * *

Eric braced himself as the car took another sharp turn. His fingers clutched the door handle and he felt the contents in his stomach rise. Apart from surfing, Eric didn't like fast and bumpy motions. That's why anytime Nell drove he had to hold her seat as well and keep his eyes closed, thinking about something else.

_Nell. Think about Nell. Think about the fact you're going to get her back._

He felt bile rise to his throat as he thought about what could happen if they didn't reach Nell in time. If he never got to see her smile again, never got to stare into those orbs that had quickly become his favorite color, that cute look she got when something was too difficult, listening to her subconsciously hum, and the amount of regret he would forever hold for never confessing his feelings for her. _We have to get her back, we just have to._

"Eric, how are we?" Callen asked. Callen, Kensi and Deeks were dressed up in bulletproof vests and had much large rifles instead of service weapons. Sam was already with the SWAT team.

"They're still there, not much movement, we can make it" _we have to make it._

Suddenly, the car took another sharp turn and Eric went flying across the backseat into Deeks. In the disturbance he dropped the tablet and it slid under the seat. "Son of a bitch" he growled and crouch between the driver's seat and his.

"Where are we now?"

"Give me a second" he pushed is arm under the seat as far as possible, his fingers were just touching the tablet. "I can't reach it.

Kensi rolled her eyes "Here move, let me" when Eric sat up out the way Kensi lay down on the floor of the backseat and stretched her arm out and captured the tablet then passed it back

"Thanks... Uh oh" he muttered as his eyes scanned over the screen.

"What uh oh?" Deeks asked.

"All the cellphones are off, I can't find them, thier gone" his voice was filled with worry and he couldn't control how shaky it was.

The car picked up as much speed as possible and horns blared from outside. "Hold on" Callen called as they hit a speed bump. Everyone thought the car was going to flip when Callen turned the next corner.

"Kensi, when did you teach Callen to drive?" Deeks quipped but Kensi just glared at him.

Suddenly, the car slammed to a halt and Eric, Deeks and Kensi went flying forward and all cursed under their breath.

Kensi looked down to her phone "SWAT is around the back, we take the front." She looked toward Eric who opened the door as well. She reached over and grabbed his arm "You already got shot today, you're staying here, as soon as we get her and the rest of the girls safe we'll bring her to you."

"What if they come out?" he gulped and looked around at the two agents and detective.

Kensi passed her normal service weapon "But you're not gonna' need it." She got out of the car followed by Deeks and Callen.

It was only a few minutes after that two lights appeared in front of the car. He had to squint his eyes to see the man driving the moving truck. His eye went wide as he recognized the driver. He was the same man that held Nell around her neck hours ago. _The team missed them; he's taking the girls now._

There was no way he was letting this guy get away again. Eric jumped in the front seat and turned the key. He had one shot; he took in a deep breath. He waited for the perfect moment to swerve in front of the truck. He furiously turned the steering wheel but the back got clipped by the truck, both vehicles struggled to keep steady.

Eric managed to stop in time but he hit his head in the chaos, the other truck fell on its side with a thud.

Eric blacked out for only a few seconds before he placed two fingers on the side of his head where blood was oozing. Apart from the fact it was on its side, the larger vehicle looked fine, he hoped the girls inside were safe. He grabbed the weapon from the back seat and took in a breath before opening the door. He was surprised with his huge boost in confidence all of a sudden.

When he checked the front the driver was gone which set off alarm bells. He looked around and saw no one, until a clunking noise came from the back of the truck, then a squeaky noise followed by a struggle. He hurried to the end if the truck but was stopped when he heard a familiar voice.

"Put the weapon down and let go of the girl" the stern voice of the SEAL growled.

Eric edged closer around and saw the man with a gun to a woman's head. It wasn't just any girl, it was Nell. He felt anger boil up inside him as he moved closer. He now had a gun and wouldn't think twice about shooting him.

He locked eyes with Callen who also noticed the advantage Eric had from being behind the man, and the fact Eric had Kensi's gun. The look Callen gave told the tech that he wasn't exactly sure about the idea. But Eric just nodded and held up the gun.

Now the other three were aware of the situation. "We're going to ask you one more time, let her go." But the man didn't answer so Callen nodded at Eric.

Eric held his gun up just like Nell had showed him. He could hear her calm, supportive whispers in his ear.

_"Pretend he's real and that he's got me. He's taken me hostage; he's got a gun to my head, and you, only you have a clear shot."_

_"Just breathe and shoot."_

He breathed in, aimed, and squeezed the trigger as he breathed out.

One shot rang out.

It got him straight head. Eric was lucky Nell was so short so there was enough room to shoot.

He took a couple steps forward as Nell stepped away from the person (now on the ground) that had held her and the agents moved to him and kicked his gun away. Deeks was checking Nell, and Eric could tell that she was trying to tell him she was fine.

As she shook her head to Deeks' question she caught Eric in her sight and she spun around and stared at him with relief and sorrow. Eric hurried his pace as he got closer. Until finally his arms closed around her and he knew she was safe.

He couldn't get a tight enough grip on her. Both his arms were around her waist and she had her head buried in his chest. He could feel how much she was shaking and he wanted to stop that.

"I got you, you're safe Nell" he whispered "I'm so sorry."

She pulled back and braced a hand on his shoulder "Eric, why are you sorry?"

"This is all my fault, if I hadn't been messing around you wouldn't have been taken."

Nell couldn't help but feel a pang in her chest "Eric, you saved me, you shot the guy. You. Saved. Me" she squeezed her arm around him again.

Eric moved a hand to the back of her head and pressed his cheek to her head, taking in her scent, it had been masked slightly by her damp hair but he could still smell the cherry. "Come on, let's get you back in the car, you're freezing."

As he moved his arm out from around her he noticed that she winced back slightly. She clenched her jaw as her arm instinctively went to where Eric had previously been tightly holding.

His eyes narrowed "Nell are you hurt?"

She looked up at him, she couldn't lie to him, it was impossible when she faced those darling green eyes that she loved. Every time they went to brief the team she hoped it would be downstairs, away from the glow of ops that made them seem blue. "I was just knocked around a bit, it's only my sides."

He sighed "And before when I grabbed you- God, I'm so sorry, I should have thought that everyone would have got hurt when I drove in front of the truck. Damn- we're taking you to the hospital to get checked up."

* * *

"Breathe in, Miss Jones" the doctor instructed as she held the stethoscope to her back and checked to see if none of her rubs had cracked and disrupted her lungs from breathing normally. "Now breathe out."

Nell did what she was told and was bracing small amounts of sharp pain as she did.

"Okay, you can relax now Miss Jones" the doctor smiled and went to her notes.

"Now can you please tell my partner that I'm fine so we can go home?"

"Well it's quite the opposite Miss Jones, from the X rays we can see that you've cracked two of your ribs from the impact of hitting the side of the truck. There will be bruising of course and that hand is going to need to need a splint."

Nell hadn't told Eric about the hand and she hoped it wouldn't come up. When she looked to him his expression hadn't changed he still looked worried. "It wasn't that bad and I didn't want to worry you."

"After tonight, I'm always going to worry about you" he smiled and took her other hand. "You're too good to not."

* * *

Deeks drove the car back to the Mission with the two techs sitting together in the back. Deeks' previous cases with human trafficking (the one where his partner was killed) had made him want to get this one over with, so he had no problem with leaving the agents to send the girls to get checked up then sent back to their families.

Eric had his arm around Nell who was obviously tired but didn't want admit it out loud. He had his hand resting beside her injured one, his thumb grazing lightly. "You sure you're okay?"

She exhaled a stifle laugh "All I need to do is go home, have a shower and then sleep." She rested her head back on his shoulder.

* * *

By the time they got back to Nell's apartment it was one o' clock in the morning and dark circles could be seen around their eyes.

Nell put her key into the lock and she opened the door, keeping her hurt hand close to her body. She turned back around and gave a weak smile "Thank you, for everything Eric, I wouldn't be back without you, neither would those other girls."

"But I did injure you; again I'm sorry for the truck. I just couldn't let him get away, I saw his face and I just remembered seeing yours before he took you. I did what I thought would help-"

"-you drove out in front of a truck" she breathed out. "You've been really... different lately, braver - for lack of a better word. I defiantly owe you more than a surf lesson now... after my hand heals that is."

He shook his head "You don't have to come surfing, I know that you were dreading it" he watched her hand rest on his forearm.

"No, I want to. Thank you Eric" she pulled herself up on to her toes and kissed his cheek. It was a warm, relaxing sensation that he wanted for longer and more to the left. "Now go home, sleep."

Eric said goodbye to his partner, when she shut the door his face reddened and he had a grin that would beat the Cheshire Cat. His fingers found their way too his cheek and it was a nice kind if numb.

* * *

**one more chapter, please review :)**


	5. Epilogue

**A more fluffy last chapter.**

* * *

Nell looked at herself in the mirror, her wrist had recovered and she had just been cleared for field work, not that she needed it, it would still be a while before she went out.

Even though it had been a month since she was taken, she was still a bit nervous when it came to being outside, alone, and particularly at night.

But she knew she was nearly back to where she was, especially if she was doing this. She was keeping her promise that she made weeks ago. She was going to have surfing lessons with Eric. Except, he didn't know she was coming over, it would be a surprise.

She hoped he wasn't with anyone else at the moment.

She looked herself over in the mirror again. She didn't want to look trashy, she was never the girl to go to pool parties, she wasn't like Kensi; she didn't have the best body, she was the one to stay home and read a book.

Shorts, bikini top, a light jacket to cover her shoulders and a pair of sandals. She hoped it was it wasn't too much - too little in this case. She looked over herself and nodded. She was more nervous now then when she started.

* * *

There was a knock at his door and he had no idea who it could be. He had planned this day to be a video game marathon. It was ten o'clock; no one he knew would get up that early on a day off and willingly come to his place.

When he opened the door he thought it was one of his 'dreams.' His partner was leaning against the frame, in a bikini top and shorts, giving that gorgeous smile of hers.

He tried to control where is eyes traveled and look her right in the eye, he felt his cheeks flush and his body stiffen. "H- hey, wha- what are you doing here?"

She stood properly "Well, I thought since my hand is finally better, we could go surfing, like I promised you."

It took him a moment to collect his thoughts "Surfing? I told you, after what happened, you didn't have to."

She smiled up at him "And I told you, that _I _wanted to. Now hurry up, get dressed in whatever, just get ready" she turned him around and pushed him into the bedroom. "I'll wait out here" she returned to the lounge and sat on the sofa.

Eric didn't waste time; he was out again in five minutes with what he usually wore for work on. Nell quirked her eyes at him, but it was Eric as he was always weird, a good kind of weird. _A nice kind of weird._

_"_You ready?" she asked as she walked towards the door.

"Yeah" he nodded and coughed as he checked her out from the back. He then scorned himself, knowing he shouldn't be thinking of his partner in that way. Thinking about how soft her skin was or how her fingers would feel against his skin. _Definitely stop thinking luke that._

* * *

Eric took Nell's hand as she stepped down the rocks on the side of the beach. "You good?" he asked as she stepped down from the last rock.

"All good" she smile briefly at him and looked around. "This is a quieter part of the beach...why?" she narrowed her eyes.

He suddenly felt like an ant under a microscope "Uh- I just thought that since you are- that this is your first time that you would want to do it- surf in a quieter place - a place with less people. We can go further up if you want, we - you don't have to." He gripped his board tighter and his lips pulled to the side nervously.

"Stop stressing!" she exhaled with a laugh. "It was a nice a thought, thank you" She squeezed his arm and walked to a spot on the sand. "Come on, I'm more eager then you at the moment, what's wrong?" she called.

He smiled back at her "No, I'm good. I'm coming" he hurried over.

"Good" she nodded. "So what happens first?"

He placed the board on the ground "First, you need to learn how to stand on a board."

Nell lightly stepped onto the blue object "There" she looked back at him, obviously trying to cheer him up.

Eric couldn't control how his lips tweeked upwards, coming from anyone else the joke wouldn't having gotten anything but a blank stare, but there was definitely something different about her that he loved. "Really funny, but serious now. Lie down on the board and have your feet at the end. When you paddle you're going to want them up." He waited for her to follow what he said "Then, you're going to point your elbows up as you push yourself up into a crouching position but with one of your legs down and on an angle."

Nell followed "Kinda' like Nightcrawler" she grinned up at him.

"Yeah... not that you look like him, you're way better looking than a fuzzy, blue mutant."

She looked down "Thank you, now what?"

"Lean back on your back foot and stand up so your feet are both on the line and you should be okay" he smiled as he watched her stand up. She flashed another smile at him and couldn't hold his back. "Now you just have to put the board on water.

Her face fell "Oh, right... and this is totally safe?"

"I wouldn't get you to go out there if it wasn't" he picked up the board and handed to her "and if it isn't you can choose what we watch on movie nights for a year."

Nell tried to hold the board under one arm but it put her off balance "Two years and I get to choose the food."

Her arm shivered as his hand was placed on her shoulder "You're safe with me Ununoctium; I'll even come in with you."

Nell rolled her eyes but nodded "I know." She shifted the board to both arms and turned towards the ocean. "Let's go."

* * *

Nell cheered up into the air as she finally caught a wave that didn't knock her off. She couldn't actually believe she was doing this. As she slowed down she looked towards Eric who had the biggest grin she had ever seen. There was also something in his eyes, she saw belief in them, like he had believed she could do this, but there was something else. Something stronger.

He steadied the board as she sat down with her legs over the side. "How was that?"

"That was great Nell, you were brilliant" he stared up at her and her cheeks turned a shade of light pink. "I guess I just have an even better teacher. It's your turn now though, let's see if you're really as good as you say you are" she slipped off the side of the board. "I'll watch you from the shore, okay?"

He nodded "I'll be over there later."

Nell sat down on her towel and watched her partner skillfully riding much larger waves.

She could tell he was showing off and it made her laugh like a school girl. It shocked her that she was acting like that, she hadn't been like this in ages, actually, she couldn't remember when she ever felt like this. For the last month she knew she had grown closer to Eric, he was more protective over her ever since she was taken - always by her side and calming her if she got too nervous over a case. Every so often it would become annoying but she knew that he meant good.

When he came running back up the beach towards her she felt her chest tighten and her skin heat up. She grabbed a drink from the bag distracting her eyes from his chest. "Good surf?" she asked and handed him a drink.

"Yeah, thanks. You know if you did this every week you could get really good" she told her.

"Are you offering?" she looked toward him.

His eye went wide "No, I was just saying that you could - if you wanted - you were just really good out there and I was just thinking - I'll shut up" he took a sip of his drink.

Nell crossed her legs "It's a nice offer but I think I'll stick with books."

"Oh adventurous" he commented sarcastically and fell on his back.

"Hey! You're the one that talks to computers and calls them 'baby'" she retorted and turned to face him.

He propped himself up on his elbows "When you've spent as much time with computers as me you tend to-"

"Go crazy" she pulled a face and let out a light laugh.

Eric couldn't control his laugh either "What was that? Is the great Nell Jones going a little crazy?"

"I guess I am" another laugh left her throat.

There it was. That laugh. That genuine laugh he had been waiting for and he had made it happen, it was like music to his ears, and he didn't want it to stop. Taking a risk he reached over and tickled her side.

Nell jumped letting out a squeal and a laugh but it was quickly cut short. Her hands went to his shoulder and she changed position so she was sitting on her legs. "Hey, your scars, they look better."

He nodded "Considering the last time you saw them was when one of them started bleeding again in ops, yeah."

"I still can't believe you took two shots because of me" she traced her thumb over them.

"He was going to hurt you Nell; I would have taken more if I had to." He pushed himself up and watched her hazel eyes "You mean too much to me, Nell."

It was so soft he didn't really register that her hands had moved from inspecting this shoulder to one being obe the base of his neck and the other holding his jaw, her thumb dusted over the light stubble. "You got shot because of me" she breathed out.

"It was either me or you" he muttered. "And like I said..." he trailed off when her face was only a few inches away."I care about you too much" her lips were now just in front of his and he had forgotten the simple act of breathing.

It was subtle at first, like her hands he hadn't noticed the movement, until she tipped her head up a bit and a shock ran through both their bodies. He had to blink a few times just to be sure that it was actually happened and it wasn't one if his dreams. He closed his eyes and dipped his head as his hands moved around her

"Wait" she mumbled and pulled back to rest her forehead on his.

"What is it?" his hand his moved away.

"Did you enjoy today?" she asked as if was the last question in the world and looked into his eyes.

"I was really enjoying what we were-"

"-No, before the last ten seconds, did you enjoy today, it wasn't boring, or you didn't feel forced into it, did you?" She watched his face for any signs.

"Nell, I would spend every day like this if I could, today was anything but boring." Then she smiled and Eric hearted raced. "You really are beautiful." Her grin got bigger and Eric remembered why he felt like he was on cloud nine around her.

He pulled her down for a more passionate kiss. It was everything he ever imagined and so much more. Two years of being right by her side hadn't prepared him for how amazing kissing her could be. It was a plethora of indescribable emotions and feelings that he hoped she was feeling as well. He wrapped his arms around her waist. There was no way he was letting go of her anytime soon. There was something in the way her fingers danced along his side and smiled against his smile that felt so right and natural.

When his hands locked together around her back she finally felt like this was the best idea her brain had ever had. If she had known kissing Eric Beale was this good she would have tried it the moment she stepped in the Mission. The way his lips fitted with hers as they angled their heads in every way was magic. She dipped her head again as she shifted to his lap. Her brain was now screaming for oxygen.

His lips trailed up her jaw line and Nell allowed herself to breath. This was like the icing on the cake, knowing his lips could pleasure her even when they weren't against her lips. He pulled back and traced a thumb across her jaw.

"Wow" he exhaled "That was-"

"Fantastic" she finished "I didn't know it would feel that-"

"Amazing? Yeah me neither, but it was and I could do it all..." Nell took his lips, it was soft again like if there was any more pressure he would shatter. This meant more than just a kiss for them; it was taking the first step out of the friendship zone, and into something way more serious.

Eric moved one of his hands as they broke apart once more; he curled some hair behind her ear as she gave a shy smile "day" he finished.

"I'll have to second you on that one partner" her face turned another shade darker and she looked down.

He kept a hand on her face and pulled her chin back up "And it won't be the last time, right?"

She leant into his touch "I hope not."

* * *

**Yay story over, Thank you for reading everyone and I love you all.**

**I'm hugging you all in my mind.**


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